1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to electrical power components, and more specifically, to systems and methods of providing a retractable outdoor electrical power receptacle.
2. Description of Related Art
People of all ages enjoy outdoor activities. Families gather in public parks for picnics and daylong outings. Regularly scheduled farmer's markets and outdoor swap meets are popular in cities across the nation. Outdoor concerts and political rallies often attract crowds of thousands, and sometimes tens of thousands or more. The crowds, families and individuals attending these outdoor events require services and amenities such as bathroom facilities, lights, cooking and food storage appliances, audio and video systems, and other electrical devices. Some locations have buildings and infrastructure to meet these needs. As for bathroom facilities, parks and outdoor public recreation properties often have public restrooms in one or more locations within the confines of the property. For special events, such as music concerts and political rallies portable restroom facilities (e.g., porta potties) can be brought in to accommodate the needs of large crowds.
In addition to the need for restroom facilities there is often a need for electricity in the outdoor public spaces to power audio/video systems, cooking/refrigeration appliances, or other electrical devices. For example, concerts and political rallies typically require electricity for the audio and lighting systems. High profile outdoor events sometimes require electricity to power radio and broadcast equipment. If there is a nearby building or permanent restroom facility wired with electricity the event organizers can simply run power lines from the building. However, from time to time events are staged in areas that are not near any permanent buildings or other source of electricity. In such situations the organizers must either provide portable generators—which tend to be quite noisy—or else run power cables from the nearest available source of electricity. Such temporary measures can be time consuming, expensive, unreliable, and sometimes pose safety problems.
The present inventor recognized a need for a robust, adaptable outdoor source of electrical power.